Officer Leaves US Army, Joins Foreign Legion, Returns & Jailed for Desertion

[Humphrey Bogart]

interesting comments... here is an alternative viewpoint from a French Foreign Legion Forum called Cervens

I can never figure out the Yanks. They trade 5 top Taliban for a deserter to the enemy and prance about what to do with him (Bowe Berghdal) now as he continues to collect a Sergeants pay and will probably be signing a big movie deal by the end of the year while this bloke has got 4 years to ponder his actions:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/c...ion-concludes/
After five years in the Legion I would have thought that Franks would have wised up some and stayed put. Hats off to him and good on that General for his commendation, there should be a petition to secure a pardon from Obama in my view.

On the other note, deserters from other forces were not uncommon in the Legion.
Good to hear they still offer anonymity and a second chance to some.

Or this one, from a legionnaire who supposedly knows him:

Good thing I can't access any of these news articles because I'm fairly certain most of them are full of BS. (as with everything where reporters write about things they don't understand)

But I certainly didn't expect this to be all over the news. What can I say... He is a good soldier and overall a really great guy. Never had a single problem with him, quite the opposite. Did I give the slightest fvck about what he did in the past? Nope. That's what the legion is still about, giving people another chance. The guy was rock solid so why bother with what he did or didn't do in the past? It's his life, his decisions and who am I to judge...

Obviously he had to receive some sort of punishment but 4 years in jail seems a bit excessive. As mulgarat put it: "Don't see how putting a good man in jail for 4 years is supposed to help anyone."

Taken from:  https://www.cervens.net/legionbbs123/showthread.php?15590-Interesting-story

 

[jollyjacktar]

A friend did a hitch with the British Army in the Household Calvary in the early 70's during the IRA bombing campaign era.  There were a number of foreigners there including some Yanks.  One guy from California decided one day that he'd had enough and went on the trot back home. 

Apparently there was a reciprocity agreement in force between Britain and the US that if one of their citizens were serving in the other's forces and did a runner if they were apprehended they could be impressed into their forces to serve the remainder of whatever contract they were on. 

The British embassy duly informed the State Department that Tpr Bloggins, of such address in CA was AWOL and believed to have gone home.  The military police went to his parents house, arrested him and he was subsequently put into the USMC for the remaining period of his enlistment term of 18 months or so.  He completed basic and trades training and was sent to Viet Nam as an Infantryman.  He lasted two weeks before being killed in action.

 

[expwor]

I understand the deterrent factor or the punishing factor, but that's 4 years of his life in the slammer. I would say he didn't hurt anyone by leaving, and if he wasn't deployed when he took off, he would cause administrative headaches more than anything else. Mind you, that's how it looks from the outside (to me).
He broke the term on his contract; or is desertion not seen as breaking a contract and is seen as something more vile?

Well except for two years in the Army Reserves I'm looking as an outsider too
Signing on the dotted line means he signed a contract.  That contract in part was his word he would, in exchange for an education serve for a prescribed period of time
He also would have had to take an oath when commissioned
Just on the basis of him signing a contract and taking an oath (his word) he committed himself to a certain period of service. 
I'm also quite sure his military education at West Point included courses in things like Military Law (including desertion), Military Ethics, and Leadership
He can't claim ignorance, he was provided an education. 
And shouldn't an officer be held to even a higher standard...if he gets a slap on the wrist, how could anyone blame a private who wants to desert if the enlisted ranks see officers getting a slap on the wrist.
He deserted, he breeched his contract and broke his oath...he is the one who chose to do that.  But he knew the consequences of his actions and should serve the four year sentence. It might be four years of his life, but it was his actions that determined what his next four years will be 
Put another way, if he can't do the time, he shouldn't have done the crime
An outsider's point of view

Tom

 

[daftandbarmy]

A friend did a hitch with the British Army in the Household Calvary in the early 70's during the IRA bombing campaign era.  There were a number of foreigners there including some Yanks.  One guy from California decided one day that he'd had enough and went on the trot back home. 

Apparently there was a reciprocity agreement in force between Britain and the US that if one of their citizens were serving in the other's forces and did a runner if they were apprehended they could be impressed into their forces to serve the remainder of whatever contract they were on. 

The British embassy duly informed the State Department that Tpr Bloggins, of such address in CA was AWOL and believed to have gone home.  The military police went to his parents house, arrested him and he was subsequently put into the USMC for the remaining period of his enlistment term of 18 months or so.  He completed basic and trades training and was sent to Viet Nam as an Infantryman.  He lasted two weeks before being killed in action.

That's hard to believe. I mean, how could a Yank make it in the British Army with all the piss taking he'd have to endure?  ;D

 

[The Bread Guy]

interesting comments... here is an alternative viewpoint from a French Foreign Legion Forum called Cervens

Or this one, from a legionnaire who supposedly knows him:

Taken from:  https://www.cervens.net/legionbbs123/showthread.php?15590-Interesting-story

VERY interesting alternative perspective - thanks for sharing that.

Gotta wonder, though, how the Legion, and said forum members, would feel about someone training, deserting to serve, in another military, then come back to France? 

 

[jollyjacktar]

That's hard to believe. I mean, how could a Yank make it in the British Army with all the piss taking he'd have to endure?  ;D

That may be why he went on the trot.